35 Comments
User's avatar
Bhagvat Khande's avatar

Spot on! This is a powerful and much-needed distinction. Intelligence builds the engine, but intellect is the steering wheel. Thank you for reminding us that mastering the world within is the most important thing.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Thank you for recognising the distinction and that is a powerful one. I honestly believe that intellect needs to be made a household word throughout the whole world. Not only do people need to understand what intellect is, they need to know the depth of it and how it can help them live a rich and fulfilled life.

Bhagvat Khande's avatar

I really appreciate your efforts in this regard. Thank you so much.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

I'm on a bit of a mission;)

Bhagvat Khande's avatar

My best wishesh for your mission.

Susan - Depth of the Heart's avatar

thank you for this!

the balance of our ability to think as humans: intelligence -> intellect-> wisdom . the cycle that frees us from our constraints

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Lovely response. Thank you Susan

Neetu S.'s avatar

I completely agree with you Meredith.

Intelligence gives us the capacity to learn and achieve success, but even success can be achieved through wrong means.

Only intellect can distinguish between right and wrong, truth and falsehood.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Spot on Neetu. You've understood the distinction. I'm going to be writing more about this, as it's what the world needs right now.

Neetu S.'s avatar

Looking forward to read Meredith. The world actually needs this.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Totally agree that the world needs this, but it has to be delivered in a way that's palatable.

Yunchieh Chang's avatar

Love! Thank you Meredith for such reflective and inspirational piece 🤍🤍

Meredith ∞'s avatar

I'm so glad you liked it 🤍

Joy Dialogues - Marlo McKenzie's avatar

I love this. It sparks my imagination. You always write things that inspire me to imagine. “Our education system is designed to teach students how to earn a living, not how to gain a life...”

Meredith ∞'s avatar

My job in done.

Amy Nabors's avatar

Completely agree! This is something I've been thinking about for several years now. Information and knowledge aren't the same as critical thinking and wisdom.

Monica Babich's avatar

Ooooh, stumbled across you. I like. 🙇‍♀️👏

Monica Babich's avatar

And now I’ve received your subscriber email, I see it must be the Vedanta resonance. 🙏

Meredith ∞'s avatar

So glad. What did you like specifically?

Amilia's avatar

i thought that one with intelligence would have an open mind to new learning! intelligence does not automatically mean one has Emotional Intelligence, this can also be why their is the disconnect with the Intellect - when emotions take over we either walk out or stay and argue - either way we still have a lot to learn:_) thankyou Meredith.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

To have an open mind you need humility. That’s a function of the intellect. emotional intelligence is a function of the mind. hence the word emotional and intelligence both spring from the mind. Intellect is a distinct and separate function. It Governs the mind and it’s emotions.

Amilia's avatar

i agree they do both Spring from the Mind! love it!

Parvathi Subramanian's avatar

Thanks Meredith!! You have articulated it well! A question though: can we say, intelligence with ego, stops one from having the intellect?

Meredith ∞'s avatar

You could, however, intelligence implies ego. Humility comes through intellect.

Jenni Madison's avatar

This gave great clarity on the functions of the mind and their optimal use. It is very subtle. Interesting story about the Italian man leaving the room.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Thanks for the breath of fresh air Jenni. Appreciate it. It is subtle. And the Italian fellow's behaviour was educational, to say the least.

Monani's avatar

Sadly this Rothschild dictated world is also seen in the school system; it’s not about creating well versed human beings capable of intelligence, sageness and perspicacity in life but that of obedient slaves without dreams and creativity, able to parrot educational formulas that fit them in precasted categories! They teach you how to count and calculate the money but never teach you how to manage, invest and grow it. Life skills necessary and proper attitude to be successful in life are not a curriculum. Finished school, go work for somebody else, get a second or third job to make ends meet - work, eat, sleep and make sure you pay all your taxes, dues,levis, environmental taxes and more … which rol right back into the Rothschild’s coffers…

Well done slave! Now that you’re old and ready for your pension - “you might not get it. It is your contribution to data centers built in a hurry and by the thousands under false pretenses.

You’ve done your share to “safe the world” - own nothing and be happy!”

( Recent public declaration of Larry Fink.)

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Hi Monani,

Thank you so much for reading and for sharing such a passionate comment.

You’ve touched on the exact frustration that drove me to stand up in that lecture theatre: the realisation that our conventional systems are heavily skewed toward churning out economic units rather than cultivating truly conscious, self-governed human beings.

This is exactly why distinguishing between external intelligence and internal intellect is so critical right now. When we reclaim our intellect, we stop passively fitting into pre-cast categories and start learning how to actually navigate and govern our own lives, choices, and peace of mind.

Monani's avatar

Thank you kindly.

You’re so right! You know there is one thing that stands in the way, it’s this:

People DON’T THINK! 🤔

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Oh yes. 100%. People let their emotions and preferences get in the way of their thinking. Thereafter, they cannot think clearly.

Laura Madsen's avatar

Love this, Meredith. Thank you. We are surrounded by disconnected intellect. I believe the intelligence you are speaking of is beyond intellect. The sutras describe the difference between intellect and transcendence. I think you are talking about an overarching intelligence that is fully grounded in life, whereas intellect is limited to our heads and to the world of interpretation, ideas about life, and a split-off mental reality. This is very limiting to the embodiment of our soul. Thank you again for your words. I have become a paid subscriber with this post! And I wish you all the best.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Hi Laura,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and support. I’m actually working on a new piece that dives much deeper into introducing this exact definition of intellect, so your insights are incredibly timely!

Labels aside, we are pointing to the exact same truth: a purely mental, split-off reality is incredibly limiting, and true growth requires a deeper, more grounded capacity to navigate life.

My ultimate goal is to make The Elder Sage entirely free and accessible for everyone. It will take some time to get there, but contributions like yours go a long way in making that happen. Thank you again for your generosity. It is truly appreciated.

Dan Rule's avatar

Nailed it!❤️ it.

User's avatar
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Jul 1
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Jenni Madison's avatar

Hi Yolanda,

I can see why the wording might strike you that way. I hadn't read it that way myself. I understood it as a description of a specific individual rather than a comment about Italians generally. To me, that doesn't necessarily make the wording prejudicial. I think there's an important distinction between acknowledging how something can be interpreted and attributing an intention to the author.

Meredith ∞'s avatar

Thank you Jenni 🤍🤍